Find out how popular the last name Kast is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Kast.

Kast, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Kast surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kast in America

Kast is the 14549th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kast surname appeared 2,048 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Kast.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kast to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Kast

The surname KAST is believed to have originated in Germany, dating back to the 12th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old German word "kaste," which means "box" or "chest." This suggests that the name may have initially been an occupational surname given to those who made or sold boxes or chests.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name KAST can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus, a collection of historical documents from the Duchy of Saxony, which mentions a "Konrad Kast" in the year 1283. This suggests that the name was already well-established in the region by the late 13th century.

In the 14th century, the surname KAST appeared in various records across Germany, including the Stadtbuch (city book) of Nuremberg, which listed a "Hans Kast" in 1368. This indicates that the name had spread to different parts of the country by this time.

During the 15th and 16th centuries, the name KAST was also found in several historical documents in Austria and Switzerland, suggesting that bearers of the name had migrated to these regions. For example, in 1492, a "Peter Kast" was recorded in the records of the city of Salzburg, Austria.

One notable individual with the surname KAST was Johann Kast (1516-1591), a German theologian and reformer who played a significant role in the Protestant Reformation. He was born in Nuremberg and later became a professor at the University of Marburg.

Another notable figure was Johann Friedrich Kast (1696-1768), a German architect and builder who was responsible for the construction of several churches and public buildings in the region of Saxony, including the Frauenkirche in Dresden.

In the 18th century, the name KAST was also found in the records of the Palatinate region of Germany, where a "Johannes Kast" was listed as a resident of the town of Deidesheim in 1732.

In the 19th century, the surname KAST gained more prominence, with several individuals making significant contributions in various fields. For example, Friedrich Kast (1809-1881) was a German painter known for his landscapes and historical scenes, while Carl Kast (1838-1898) was a prominent German-American brewer who founded the Kast Brewing Company in St. Louis, Missouri.

Another notable figure was Max Kast (1870-1944), a German philosopher and academic who taught at the University of Berlin and wrote extensively on subjects such as ethics and logic.

Throughout its history, the surname KAST has undergone various spellings and variations, including Kaste, Kasth, and Kasten, which further underscores its German origins and linguistic roots.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kast

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Kast.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Kast was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Kast has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Kast was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Kast, please contact us.

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